Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition the hon Trollip, I stand by my statement that at a time of an economic crisis, when finances are under pressure, we all need to be careful about our expenses. Major commitments of government have to be considered very carefully in the light of the current economic conditions and the conditions of the poor and the unemployed.
To my knowledge, the vehicle purchases by members of Cabinet were all undertaken within the regulations set by the Ministerial Handbook, which sets out the benefits and privileges applicable to members of Cabinet, provincial executive councils and presiding officers of Parliament and provincial legislatures.
While some may hold the view that certain purchases were inappropriate in the current circumstances, these purchases were in fact planned and budgeted for. The purchases were not unethical in that they were not illegal or underhanded. For these reasons, we do not intend to request the return of the vehicles. In any event, as the hon Leader of the Opposition is aware, a used car is a used car. It has far less resale value than a new car, so returning the cars and buying cheaper ones would result in significant losses. While that may sound good, it is not particularly practical.
On 29 July this year, Cabinet agreed that a task team be constituted to prepare recommendations on developing measures for fiscal prudence, with specific reference to curbing wasteful expenditure, establishing cost- cutting measures and reviewing procurement practices. Furthermore, consideration will also be given to the possible adjustment of the existing guidelines for purchasing official vehicles for political office-bearers, as reflected in the Ministerial Handbook. This task team will report back to Cabinet in due course. I thank you. [Applause.]